Pavlik withdraws from boxing... altogether ?

[crusader]

Glen Johnson and two other fighters who have yet to be named are in the mix to be Bute's next opponent.

Translated from french http://www.cyberpresse.ca/sports/autres ... s-lieu.php

The long awaited fight between Lucian Bute and Kelly Pavlik scheduled for Nov. 5th will not take place.

Pavlik, the 29 year old american fighter, ruined InterBox's (Bute's promoters) plans yesterday, by announcing he was pulling out of the fight scheduled saturday night, against Darryl Cunningham, in Ohio. Pavlik was then supposed to fight Bute.

The scenario will need to be rethought, however, because Pavlik decided to quit a fight in his home town, a strange choice that could compromise his entire career. Bute and his group will now search for a different opponent for November.

"It's very unfortunate for us because we've worked very hard at preparing the Bute-Pavlik fight," Explained Jean Bédard, President of InterBox. "Everything was ready. The posters were printed, Lucian is coming back Sunday from Romania, and we were going to make the official announcement Monday. Everything was set, the contracts were signed. It's a huge disappointment."

For now, Pavlik's (37-2, 32 KOs) motivations for cancelling a fight in his hometown on four days notice remain unclear. It's said the American suddenly decided that InterBox's offer against Bute was simply not good enough.

"This is a guy without a belt, and he's not a mandatory opponent," Added Jean Bédard. "We were offering him 40% and 60% for Lucian. It's a very generous offer. Why would he now decide it's not enough? We could have always spoken after his fight, on Monday."

In the boxing circles, Pavlik's recent troubles are well known. He took time away from the ring last year to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. Last month he was involved in a fight with his brother. According to the Youngstown Vindicator, alcohol was a factor then too.

"This is a guy who has been struggling with personal issues," Said Jean Bédard. "Just imagine, he pulls out of a fight in his own home town on four days notice. It's hard to understand."

This development will of course force InterBox to rethink it's plans for Bute. Bédard confirms Bute will be in the ring on November 5th, but against whom? For the moment the question is without answer.

Three possible opponents are mentioned, including Glen Johnson, 42 (51-15-2) with an impressive record having faced Carl Froch, Tavoris Cloud and Chad Dawson.

He is the most interesting opponent on InterBox's list, according to Bedard, who is not confirming the other two names. "I know Johnson's manager would say yes immediately, but we will sit down, and think about all this. We're in no rush, we have three months to finalize everything. Obviously Johnson is the most interesting opponent."

Where the fight would take place has not been decided either, but it will either be Quebec City or Montreal. The possibility of holding an event in Atlantic City has always been very dear to Bute but it has been set aside for now, "Because we could never generate as much money as in Quebec." said Bédard

[observer1]

I forecast his drinking/ abusive temper will lead him to a very serious situation soon indeed - even beyond bad tattoos.

Punching his parent's window in and dragging his own brother through aint a sane thing to do.

Whoa was that true? Heard it turned out to be false rumours? Can never trust anything these days.

Personally think Hopkins took away the guys confidence all together. Pavlik's dismantling of Taylor in both bouts raised Pavlik in all the rankings and he was considered one of the big fish in boxing then on wards.

The Hopkins bout was simply a formality for Pavlik to get an extra payday and some recognition. Nothing more than a stepping stone to eventually clean up the 160lbs and 168lbs divisions.

Obviously things went pear shaped after Hopkins schooled him.

Pavlik strikes me as the guy who will only return to his previous best, once he gets a big win like he did against Taylor. But i dont think its going to happen with his current problems and his current team.

One or the other clearly needs to be sorted, because he's been in limbo for the past few years.

Hopkins is pretty notorious for ending career's, would be interesting to see whether Pascal will go down the same alley as Pavlik.

[whiskey]

I forecast his drinking/ abusive temper will lead him to a very serious situation soon indeed - even beyond bad tattoos.

Punching his parent's window in and dragging his own brother through aint a sane thing to do.

Whoa was that true? Heard it turned out to be false rumours? Can never trust anything these days.

Now your starting rumours.

It's fact and was reported in 3 different youngstown publications and included a police statement and a statement from his brother saying he didnt want to press charges.

[Dan Dares]

Its about time Bute fought someone a bit more realistic anyway. He should be fighting Kessler, not Pavlik.

[rhino222]

I forecast his drinking/ abusive temper will lead him to a very serious situation soon indeed - even beyond bad tattoos.

Punching his parent's window in and dragging his own brother through aint a sane thing to do.

He probably needs to be sent to rehab for his own good.

i said no no no,,,,

[Jon Saxon]

The guy clearly is unaware of his position in boxing...

YOUNGSTOWN — When Showtime announced its lineup last week for its upcoming super middleweight tournament, some boxing fans wondered, “Why wasn’t Kelly Pavlik involved?”

Initially, Pavlik said he would have been interested, but after researching the tournament over the past week, he’s changed his mind.

“Why would I be in that tournament when I’m a middleweight?” he said. “They never asked me and I never wanted to join.

“Let them beat each other up. Let them ruin their careers for peanuts.”

The round-robin tournament will include some of the biggest names in the division — Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler, Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell — and IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham, who will relinquish his belt and move up.

Each fighter is guaranteed three bouts, with points awarded based on the results. (Three points for a knockout, two for a decision, one for a draw.) The top four advance to the single-elimination finals.

It’s a big career risk for what Pavlik considers a small payoff — about $3 million or $4 million for the winner, he said.

“Those guys are fighting for peanuts,” said Pavlik. “They’re going to burn their whole career and for what? Nobody watches Showtime.

“Trust me, when the winner of that tournament fights his next fight, it’ll be on HBO.”

HBO is the biggest network for boxing and most of Pavlik’s biggest fights have been on that network in recent years, including his two bouts against Taylor and his knockout of Edison Miranda.

Although Pavlik’s latest bout, a 10th-round knockout of Marco Antonio Rubio in Youngstown in February, was broadcast on independent pay-per-view, Pavlik made it clear he wants to fight for HBO.

“I like HBO,” he said. “I will fight for HBO. All the big-time fighters like Floyd Mayweather, [Manny] Pacquiao, [Miguel] Cotto, Shane Mosley, the Klitschkos — they all fight on HBO.”

Although Pavlik has been out of the spotlight in recent months, he still considers himself one of the five biggest names in boxing.

Some have argued that he needs to do a better job promoting himself on a national level, particularly if he wants to earn bigger paydays, but Pavlik disagrees.

“I’ve got enough going on right now,” he said. “There’s not much more that I can do just by me making an appearance with the camera shining on my face.”

Although several middleweights are eager to fight Pavlik, he has set his sights on WBA champion Felix Sturm. (Pavlik holds the WBC and WBO belts, while Abraham’s IBF belt is up for grabs.)

Problem is, HBO recently offered just $2 million for a Pavlik-Sturm bout and Pavlik said he’s not willing to fight for such a low figure.

Although that statement may not sit well with some fans, Pavlik would likely clear about $300,000 from that fight after taxes and other deductions. That’s not enough for a title fight, he said, and said it’s no different from LeBron James wanting a maximum contract from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He wants to be paid what he’s worth, he said.

“I fought my way up for seven years, I’ve fought for $3 million and $2.5 million a fight, why decline that much?” he said. “Yeah, the economy is bad, but there’s still more money out there.

“That’s like [Browns quarterback] Brady Quinn playing for $300 a week. It’s bull[crap].”

Pavlik said he’s content to stay at 160 pounds for a few years before moving up in weight to fight the winner of the Showtime tournament.

“Whoever the winner is,” he said, “I’ll kick his [butt].”

[smcb80]

just watched ESPN america's E60 programme, had a feature on Pavlik's big comeback. bad timimg. he must be a right scrote pulling out of a fight in the hometown where it seems he's idolised.

showed clips of his championship win over taylor though - wow

[Asterix]

Its about time Bute fought someone a bit more realistic anyway. He should be fighting Kessler, not Pavlik.

Kessler's not interested for the moment. He wants Robert Stieglitz's belt first. Better bargaining power.

[johnswan1]

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/1683 ... -in-boxing

On Monday, former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik informed trainer Jack Lowe of his decision to pull out of Saturday's fight against Darryl Cunningham over the money he was offered to face IBF super middleweight titleholder Lucian Bute in a fall bout.

On Tuesday morning, at about 11, Pavlik's promoter, Top Rank, informed Showtime officials of the fighter's move, which forced the network to cancel an entire card that was to take place in Pavlik's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

On Tuesday evening, even in the face of worldwide media criticism, the 29-year-old Pavlik defiantly defended his actions to the point of asserting on a MaxBoxing.com radio show that while he remains among the sport's most popular fighters he also is one of its most abused and underpaid by his promoters.

Below are some of the highlights of Pavlik's interview with moderator Alec Kohut, who, like Pavlik, is a Youngstown native.

Pavlik on his notoriety as a fighter: "They can say what they want to say. In my opinion, if I pick my nose at a red light, everybody talks about it. Kelly Pavlik is still one of the biggest names in boxing. It is."

On his belief that Denmark's Mikkel Kessler turned down a larger offer to face Bute than he accepted: "You go and offer Mikkel Kessler $3 million and you turn back around and go and offer me $1 million? Now, I have not known ... until a week ago the amount of money that I was getting paid in Youngstown and the amount of money that I was getting paid to fight Bute in Canada.

"If I was fighting Bute in Atlantic City, I would fight him for $1.1 (million). But I've got to (go to Canada) and put the guy on a stretcher to win that fight. So for me to go over there, it's kind of like Top Rank cashing in on me. You know? Like, 'We're going to go and make our money off of him, and we're done with him, and that's it.'"

On why he can afford to turn down Cunningham and Bute: "You know what? I don't need the money. I don't. I've made enough money in my career. I'm smart. I'm not like any other yahoo. I don't go and blow it on jewelry and clothes and cars. I'm living happily ever after right now. I would rather retire before I sell my career short.

"Some of my handlers, where they're getting like $130,000, they're happy with that. They're good, you know? But I look at the big picture and the bigger money and everything else. But I don't need the money where I've got to sell my career and my soul short."

On the succession of payments he's received over his past three fights leading up to Cunningham: "... You paid me $350,000 to fight Miguel Espino at Beeghly Center in Youngstown. ... You paid me $1.5 [million] to fight (Marco Antonio) Rubio at the Chevrolet Center. You paid me $3 million just to jump up two weight classes to fight Bernard Hopkins at light heavyweight. And then you turn back around and tell me I’m making $50,000 to fight a southpaw [Cunningham] on five weeks’ notice?

"That’s not going to happen. So everybody thinks right now, ‘Oh, hey, you pulled out because of personal problems, this, that.’ No, I pulled out because I don’t need to fight no more. I will retire. I don’t need to fight. I don't need the money that badly."

On what he would say to disappointed Youngstown fans who perceive $1 million to be a lot of money to turn down: "It's not about fighting for Youngstown. It's about me. It's like anybody who works hard on their job. I mean, my job is to go and get punched in the face and to get paid for a living and to get beat up."

On his marketability compared to Kessler's: "My name is bigger than Mikkel Kessler's, believe it or not. If you go on the internet and you look at every boxing site and everything else, every time Kelly Pavlik's name comes up, it's big. You mean that you're going to tell me right now that you're going to draw 25,000 or 20,000 people in Canada in Montreal and in (Bute's) home town, and you're only going to offer me $1 million?

"And then we had to negotiate to get to $1.35 (million). I mean, come on, you're offering Mikkel Kessler $3 million? My name is better than Mikkel Kessler's. We can argue that. We can take a poll if you want. And if it's not as big, then it's close."

On his perception that he has been underpaid by Top Rank: "I've gotten robbed during a lot of parts of my career, and I'm just tired of doing it. Top Rank can say, 'Ah, well you ain't got the heart to fight no more,' but I do. But make it worth it."

On the straw that broke the camel's back: "I found out about a week ago that they were paying me 50 grand for this fight. OK? I'm sparring with a right-hander who is turning southpaw. Then they tell me what the offer was for Bute. They told me, 'Hey, you’re going to make $1.1 [million].'

"Now, I still have not got a fight contract for this fight coming up. Now I’m a week out and I still haven’t got a fight contract. Now my agent’s going to send me a contract over and he tells me, 'You got 20 hours to turn it back in. If you don’t turn it back in within 20 hours, the fight’s off.'

So my attorney and my accountant don’t have time to look at the contract. And this is what happens all the time in my career. So I’m tired of it. I’m not playing the game no more. It's over, and I don't need to fight no more. ... I still don't have a fight contract for this fight that was coming up, which was only a week away. I have nothing. No paper. I have no idea what's going on."

On the perception that issues with alcohol -- he was released in January following a two-month stay at the Betty Ford clinic -- were a factor in his pulling out of the fights: "Like people say, 'He's out drinking, and he's on the sauce, and he's doing this and he's doing that.' But look, I haven't lost any money. I don't lose money and I don't need to fight no more. Until I get the fights that I want, and I mean the big fights, and they pay me what I'm worth, then I'll take them."

On his abilities as a fighter: "I'm still ready to go. I'm still ready to win a world title. The bottom line is, I want to fight for the money, though. Just show me where it's at. At this point in my career, after all that I've been through, show me where the money's at."

On the notion that Top Rank is trying to "cash out" on his career: "What they’re trying to do is cash out. They’re saving the money. They want to pay me $1.1 (million). The $3 million is there, but that’s what they’re cashing out on. I'm not going to go to Canada and get beat so that Top Rank can cash out on me. I'm not doing that.

"That's stupid. I'm selling myself short by doing that. They're saving their money. They’re going to say, 'You know what? We’re going to pocket $2 million. He’s going to lose the fight, and we’re done with him and that’s it.' That’s how it works."

Where he will be six months from now: "Kelly Pavlik is going to be ready to fight Carl Froch or one of the top guys and then get back to the world title. But I don't want to say under my circumstances, because I have no world title and no ground to stand on. But at the same time, there has to be a middle. We have to meet somewhere.

"And you've got to pay me more money than that you're offering. ... Kelly Pavlik is Kelly Pavlik. My name still draws. ... You can't tell me that the money's not there and the draw is not there. I will draw people to a fight. So until I'm happy and I get what I deserve, then I'm not happy.

"Top Rank, right now, what they're telling me is that they're going to sit me. We're going to sit you right now and you're not going to fight. Well then, sit me. My contract is up in the air. I'm not hurt. So you really can't put it on me. By no means do I want to sit, but if that's what they're going to do, then that's what they're going to do.

"There is nothing I can do about it. ... Hopefully, they won't. Hopefully, the fans want to see me fight. Hopefully Top Rank puts me in a fight. I'll fight whoever for a decent amount of money. ... If you're going to put me in a world title fight, then pay me what I deserve.

"... I'm not Money Mayweather. I'm not asking for $20 million for every fight. If Top Rank wants to sit me for a year, then I'll sign with somebody else and I'll come back better than ever. I'm only 29 years old. ... But I do have kids. I'm not trying to go out there and get my head beat in for nothing. That's my story."

On his support system: "I've got support from the people that matter to me. My wife and my parents and that's about it."

On the timing of his decision: "That’s Top Rank’s fault and that's my agent, Cameron Dunkin’s, fault. Because if they would’ve told me two weeks ago or three weeks ago the amount of money and what they’re paying me, then I would've said, 'You know what, I’m going to cancel the fight.' But you’re going to let me know a week before?

"Because what they're thinking is, 'We’ll tell him a week before and there’s nothing he’ll do about it. You know, he won’t cancel the fight.' Well bulls--t. I called bulls--t on that. I will cancel the fight."

[DavidPayne]

Among the nonsense, is some sense. Pavlik would be as good a draw at the gate for Bute as Kessler, certainly close.

But it has all the whiff of a guy who doesn't really want to fight anymore, isn't in the right place.

Not unlike Mitchell back in the Spring, something clicked in Kevin when he got back in the gym, not sure it will with Pavlik.

He's older, made more money and been to the top.

[Jon Saxon]

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/1683 ... -in-boxing

On Monday, former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik informed trainer Jack Lowe of his decision to pull out of Saturday's fight against Darryl Cunningham over the money he was offered to face IBF super middleweight titleholder Lucian Bute in a fall bout.

On Tuesday morning, at about 11, Pavlik's promoter, Top Rank, informed Showtime officials of the fighter's move, which forced the network to cancel an entire card that was to take place in Pavlik's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

On Tuesday evening, even in the face of worldwide media criticism, the 29-year-old Pavlik defiantly defended his actions to the point of asserting on a MaxBoxing.com radio show that while he remains among the sport's most popular fighters he also is one of its most abused and underpaid by his promoters.

Below are some of the highlights of Pavlik's interview with moderator Alec Kohut, who, like Pavlik, is a Youngstown native.

Pavlik on his notoriety as a fighter: "They can say what they want to say. In my opinion, if I pick my nose at a red light, everybody talks about it. Kelly Pavlik is still one of the biggest names in boxing. It is."

On his belief that Denmark's Mikkel Kessler turned down a larger offer to face Bute than he accepted: "You go and offer Mikkel Kessler $3 million and you turn back around and go and offer me $1 million? Now, I have not known ... until a week ago the amount of money that I was getting paid in Youngstown and the amount of money that I was getting paid to fight Bute in Canada.

"If I was fighting Bute in Atlantic City, I would fight him for $1.1 (million). But I've got to (go to Canada) and put the guy on a stretcher to win that fight. So for me to go over there, it's kind of like Top Rank cashing in on me. You know? Like, 'We're going to go and make our money off of him, and we're done with him, and that's it.'"

On why he can afford to turn down Cunningham and Bute: "You know what? I don't need the money. I don't. I've made enough money in my career. I'm smart. I'm not like any other yahoo. I don't go and blow it on jewelry and clothes and cars. I'm living happily ever after right now. I would rather retire before I sell my career short.

"Some of my handlers, where they're getting like $130,000, they're happy with that. They're good, you know? But I look at the big picture and the bigger money and everything else. But I don't need the money where I've got to sell my career and my soul short."

On the succession of payments he's received over his past three fights leading up to Cunningham: "... You paid me $350,000 to fight Miguel Espino at Beeghly Center in Youngstown. ... You paid me $1.5 [million] to fight (Marco Antonio) Rubio at the Chevrolet Center. You paid me $3 million just to jump up two weight classes to fight Bernard Hopkins at light heavyweight. And then you turn back around and tell me I’m making $50,000 to fight a southpaw [Cunningham] on five weeks’ notice?

"That’s not going to happen. So everybody thinks right now, ‘Oh, hey, you pulled out because of personal problems, this, that.’ No, I pulled out because I don’t need to fight no more. I will retire. I don’t need to fight. I don't need the money that badly."

On what he would say to disappointed Youngstown fans who perceive $1 million to be a lot of money to turn down: "It's not about fighting for Youngstown. It's about me. It's like anybody who works hard on their job. I mean, my job is to go and get punched in the face and to get paid for a living and to get beat up."

On his marketability compared to Kessler's: "My name is bigger than Mikkel Kessler's, believe it or not. If you go on the internet and you look at every boxing site and everything else, every time Kelly Pavlik's name comes up, it's big. You mean that you're going to tell me right now that you're going to draw 25,000 or 20,000 people in Canada in Montreal and in (Bute's) home town, and you're only going to offer me $1 million?

"And then we had to negotiate to get to $1.35 (million). I mean, come on, you're offering Mikkel Kessler $3 million? My name is better than Mikkel Kessler's. We can argue that. We can take a poll if you want. And if it's not as big, then it's close."

On his perception that he has been underpaid by Top Rank: "I've gotten robbed during a lot of parts of my career, and I'm just tired of doing it. Top Rank can say, 'Ah, well you ain't got the heart to fight no more,' but I do. But make it worth it."

On the straw that broke the camel's back: "I found out about a week ago that they were paying me 50 grand for this fight. OK? I'm sparring with a right-hander who is turning southpaw. Then they tell me what the offer was for Bute. They told me, 'Hey, you’re going to make $1.1 [million].'

"Now, I still have not got a fight contract for this fight coming up. Now I’m a week out and I still haven’t got a fight contract. Now my agent’s going to send me a contract over and he tells me, 'You got 20 hours to turn it back in. If you don’t turn it back in within 20 hours, the fight’s off.'

So my attorney and my accountant don’t have time to look at the contract. And this is what happens all the time in my career. So I’m tired of it. I’m not playing the game no more. It's over, and I don't need to fight no more. ... I still don't have a fight contract for this fight that was coming up, which was only a week away. I have nothing. No paper. I have no idea what's going on."

On the perception that issues with alcohol -- he was released in January following a two-month stay at the Betty Ford clinic -- were a factor in his pulling out of the fights: "Like people say, 'He's out drinking, and he's on the sauce, and he's doing this and he's doing that.' But look, I haven't lost any money. I don't lose money and I don't need to fight no more. Until I get the fights that I want, and I mean the big fights, and they pay me what I'm worth, then I'll take them."

On his abilities as a fighter: "I'm still ready to go. I'm still ready to win a world title. The bottom line is, I want to fight for the money, though. Just show me where it's at. At this point in my career, after all that I've been through, show me where the money's at."

On the notion that Top Rank is trying to "cash out" on his career: "What they’re trying to do is cash out. They’re saving the money. They want to pay me $1.1 (million). The $3 million is there, but that’s what they’re cashing out on. I'm not going to go to Canada and get beat so that Top Rank can cash out on me. I'm not doing that.

"That's stupid. I'm selling myself short by doing that. They're saving their money. They’re going to say, 'You know what? We’re going to pocket $2 million. He’s going to lose the fight, and we’re done with him and that’s it.' That’s how it works."

Where he will be six months from now: "Kelly Pavlik is going to be ready to fight Carl Froch or one of the top guys and then get back to the world title. But I don't want to say under my circumstances, because I have no world title and no ground to stand on. But at the same time, there has to be a middle. We have to meet somewhere.

"And you've got to pay me more money than that you're offering. ... Kelly Pavlik is Kelly Pavlik. My name still draws. ... You can't tell me that the money's not there and the draw is not there. I will draw people to a fight. So until I'm happy and I get what I deserve, then I'm not happy.

"Top Rank, right now, what they're telling me is that they're going to sit me. We're going to sit you right now and you're not going to fight. Well then, sit me. My contract is up in the air. I'm not hurt. So you really can't put it on me. By no means do I want to sit, but if that's what they're going to do, then that's what they're going to do.

"There is nothing I can do about it. ... Hopefully, they won't. Hopefully, the fans want to see me fight. Hopefully Top Rank puts me in a fight. I'll fight whoever for a decent amount of money. ... If you're going to put me in a world title fight, then pay me what I deserve.

"... I'm not Money Mayweather. I'm not asking for $20 million for every fight. If Top Rank wants to sit me for a year, then I'll sign with somebody else and I'll come back better than ever. I'm only 29 years old. ... But I do have kids. I'm not trying to go out there and get my head beat in for nothing. That's my story."

On his support system: "I've got support from the people that matter to me. My wife and my parents and that's about it."

On the timing of his decision: "That’s Top Rank’s fault and that's my agent, Cameron Dunkin’s, fault. Because if they would’ve told me two weeks ago or three weeks ago the amount of money and what they’re paying me, then I would've said, 'You know what, I’m going to cancel the fight.' But you’re going to let me know a week before?

"Because what they're thinking is, 'We’ll tell him a week before and there’s nothing he’ll do about it. You know, he won’t cancel the fight.' Well bulls--t. I called bulls--t on that. I will cancel the fight."

IF he was getting $50,000 (roughly 30k) then after deductions (US tax, managers, promoters fee) thats aound
£9000. which for a headlinging ticket seller on the telly like Pavlik shockng.

No wonder he's on the Don Revie!

[Ted]

says on eastside uk forum hs team have been in contact with magees team for the interim wba belt.

he obviously sees it as a step to the world title, but he must realise he'd be fighting for nothing against a solid opponent.

[reggaereggae]

he likes to get his drink on, right?